Vari-eze, a good buy?

[Pop]

I have been going over this form, and I still have a few questions about the Vari-eze. It seems to be a great buy, but the corrosion issue for the wing spars is of great concern. Is it possible to check this area out before buying the aircraft? Are there any other problems with this aircraft? For the Vari-eze drivers out there, how do you like your aircraft? Has any one done any light aerobatics ( loops, rolls ) in a Vari-eze? I hope this may start a good thread.

[miketdrew]

Well a picture is worth some and the video even more .... check this site from France http://perso.wanadoo.fr/patrouille.reva/

[dave]

a varieze is everything but an aerobatic,,aircraft...or a  offroad aircraft, or  c-152 or anything else ....  when it comes to aerobatics...just because you can ...doesnt mean you should... ....there have been deaths...on eze's because of aerobatics.  

[Anonymous]

There have been death's in VariEZ not doing aerobatics... Properly excuted light manuevers will not hurt anything.  

I flew Ag aircraft for years, designed to carry big loads and spray, But they would do light aerobatics and it was safe.

Even a Boeing 707 can do light aerobatics ... Old Tex proved that

Tom

[Dan Patch]

...but the corrosion issue for the wing spars is of great concern. Is it possible to check this area out before buying the aircraft?...

The corrosion issue is something that you will have to decide on your own by reading all sides of the issue and then factoring in your best estimate of how credible and/or relevant the various points are to a particular plane.  Even the issue of inspection has drawn strong pros and cons.  Perhaps this issue is better put as, "is it practical to check out this area to YOUR satisfaction?"  

FWIW, I just finished stripping my wing attach fittings down to bare metal in the process of repainting my airplane after 24 years and 1900+ hours of service.  I KNOW that my fittings are 100.000% corrosion free on their exterior.  I KNOW that there is no sign of debonding, distresss, etc. at the point where the fittings enter the fuselage.  I do NOT KNOW anything about the condition of the fittings inside the fuselage except that, given the external condition of the fittings and the overall condition of all other mechanical components of the plane, I would JUDGE the probability of unseen, extensive corrosion of the fittings to be vanishingly small.  I am sufficiently comfortable in this judgement to put my butt and my family's souls in the plane.  Others would not be satisfied short of sectioning the fittings at quarter inch intervals with a skill saw, and they might still fret that they missed something.  These same pilots might (but probably wouldn't?) be comfortable doing low level aerobatics.  So it's an exercise in personal judgement and risk analysis which ultimately boils down to "what do I judge to be an acceptable level of risk" - a very personal decision that only YOU can make.  


Are there any other problems with this aircraft?...

Like every airplane, the VariEze was designed to excel for a particular mission profile - long range, economical, etc., you know the drill.  The farther out of it's 'design box' you try to operate, the closer you are to "problems".  


For the Vari-eze drivers out there, how do you like your aircraft?...

I can't imagine selling it.  I love it because it fits more of MY "flight missions" (note I didn't say all) better than any other plane.  But that doesn't mean it will come close to fitting what YOU want or need in a plane.  I'd suggest first deciding on how you would use an 'ideal plane' and then figure out what plane best fits that role (and meets other obvious constraints, like cost).  If it's a VariEze, great.  If it's a Great Lakes or a Kitfox or a T-18, also great.

[Tom]

The VE is an excellent plane, that is in my opinion, undervalued.

Use someone that knows what they are looking for when doing a pre-buy inspection, this will ensure that you get a good plane and not someone elses junk.

just fyi:

I'm 5'6", 150lbs,, and my stock o-200 VE will blow the doors off of 90% of the stock (o-235) longs out there!!!
 

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'6", 150lbs,, and my stock o-200 VE will blow the doors off of 90% of the stock (o-235) longs out there!!!

OH YAH?

Boy does this sound like a RACE challange, or what!

Waiter

[Guest 38]

I have done a few rolls in my Varieze, but just to see how it/I did. In fact mine rolls much easier to the left than the right. Every attempt (years ago) to the right ended up in a split S and pulling out of a vertical dive at 200mph! I found it an excellent way to get an RV off my tail....if you have 4000 ft of altitude!!
As mentioned by others, the Varieze wasn't designed for aerobatics. Built per the standard plans (with CP revisions) it has no fuel pump and needs postive G's to keep the motor running. Just a hard nose over from level flight will make the engine pop.
I expect that to do a vertical loop would require lots of entrance speed and quite a few G's to keep positive. The French team may have a full fuel system with a pump or two to keep the prop turning all the time.
My Varieze is a great cross country very economical plane. With a C-85 I can fly at 150 mph air speed and burn 4 gph and I am not even close to what people like Gary Hertzler can do!! My top speed has varied with the propeller and other mods, but has always been in the 175- 180+ true airspeed range.
Good luck!!

[Tom]

90%!! ( I still have some aero mods to do!!)
 
Tom

[TIM BAILEY]

Pop, I have had my Vari-Eze for 20 years and it is totally standard with an 0-200 Continental. The only change is the Klaus Saviour wheel spats. Comfortable cruise (noise/fuel) at 2500 RPM is 130 kts indicated. When racing at full throttle at sea level (5') my official handicap speed is 178 mph (I reckon 176). I have had some reasonable success including 3rd in the Schneider Trophy and 2nd in the King's Cup air races. Klaus can make it go much faster at quite a reasonable cost with his pistons, electronic ignition, prop etc. but the handicappers will cancel that out. Forget aerobatics, it is not suitable...if thats your bag, get a CAP 10...same race speed and a very pretty plane. My Vari-Eze will never be for sale as long as I can fly. Go get one and talk to Klaus if you want to stay ahead of the crowd. Remember..."Real pilots fly nose draggers".